Cavalleria Rusticana - Mascagni and music by Leoncavallo, Verdi, Mozart, Bizet, SaintSaens, Bellini, Giordano and Donizetti
Following the demise of Opera Northern Ireland, the enterprising new company, Lyric Opera 21, has stepped into the breach. In the absence (so far) of any public funding or significant commercial sponsorship, they have declared their intention of producing semi-staged operas, concerts and recitals.
This launch certainly featured some good singers, but the trouble is that one expects an opera company to produce opera, not gala concerts of old favourites with piano accompaniment. Things picked up in the second half with the performance of Cavalleria. It was only semi-staged, and the chorus and ad-hoc orchestra were both fairly ropy, but at least there was an orchestra. Alan Oke was a strong, convincingly Italianate Turridu, Deirdre Cooling-Nolan a warm, steady Mamma Lucia, and if it was sometimes hard to make out Doreen Curran's words, she did make a very fetching Lola. One would have liked steadier and more focussed singing from John Fletcher (Alfio), while Tamsin Dives sang Santuzza despite indisposition. Michael Fulcher was the idiomatic and often vivid conductor. The performance was directed by Stephen Metcalf with considerable energy, and the acting was committed. For all the obvious flaws, one felt that there was the makings of a good production of Cavalleria here.